Fledglings assemble for the nurturing November thread!

[foxessocks]

Thank you to EerilyDeleted for being an excellent leader on the October thread! Time to put your feet up for a well earned rest now!

This is my first time running the thread so sorry if the links below don't work I'm learning as I go!! If they don't I'll come back and try again

If you are struggling with C.H.A.O.S. (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (Something That Undermines Family Fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of support and chatter along the way.

The FlyLady link is here Don't be put off by the twee language of the site – we all agree that the underlying system is very effective.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in zones of the house which are designated weekly; defining and minimising housework - which in theory should leave you with loads more time to do something more interesting instead.

At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around again next month.

It's up to you, but we advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be swamped with marketing nonsense. All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's steps and routines using a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

• start or repeat baby steps
• repeat baby steps + do 15 minutes a day decluttering in the current zone
• reinforce baby steps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.
• And if you are really enthusiastic and have finished decluttering - you can go on to detailed deep cleaning in each zone.

There are three key points to keep in mind throughout:

• No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine and many of us on this thread struggle with this one.
• You are never behind - just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
• It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy over night - accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.

If you are new; then trying to spend 15mins decluttering daily and doing the baby steps is a good way to start. Some of us (mentioning no names) can have scary looking ‘ta-da’ lists but don't let that worry you. Do what you can, anything is better than nothing, and don't judge yourself against others.

If all else fails, a brew + the power of three technique + a bit of support on here can work wonders.

Here's the launchpad for more experienced fledglings Launchpad.

Don’t let it put you off if we appear a bit cliquey, we really aren’t. Some of us have been on here for years – but all lurkers, intermittent returnees, oldies and newcomers very, very welcome.

SingToTheSky put together a glossary of the many weird and might-seem-a-bit-cliquey terms. We have been going a long time but we always love newbies - hopefully this list will help you settle in.

KCC - the Keep Calm Corner, invented by our lovely Fledgling SC back in March, where the OP posts nice diverting links, memes, questions etc to distract us from the pandemic.

Ta Da - instead of a to do list (which is of course welcome too) we often post our achievements, with accompanying jazz hands, in order to celebrate the positives, however small they seem! Sometimes if we want to share an embarrassed giggle/commiserations we also post a ta didn’t - the stuff we didn’t get done!

BRC - Bag/Box of Random Crap. These are usually formed when we are panic tidying and shove anything in “to sort later” which is also known as a stash and dash .

Power of Three or PO3 - the idea that if you’re feeling really unmotivated/overwhelmed by your to do list, you just choose three things to do, and then post when you’ve done them.

DLMS - didn’t lose my shit - in other words, somehow stayed relatively calm despite a stressful day!

SS/S&S - Swish and Swipe - this is one of the key parts of the morning routine, a quick once over of the bathroom.

Home Bleugh - Flylady's Home Blessing routine

And a few basics:
LOL - load of laundry
WM - washing machine
TD - tumble dryer
DW - dishwasher
HSL - hallway, stairs, landing

And finally "The Naughty Corner" - this is for Fledglings who perhaps didn't get done what they had planned for the day but are in need of a comfy seat, pile of cushions, tasty snacks, stiff drink and friends to chat to

hills never tmi on here.and I now want rice pudding...
MC tis fine my dear.i love a squidgy baby pic,but am no way offended your decision not to post online.

I can't remember what else was going to say..

Dd2 on day 2 sertraline.antsy AF.fidgety and yet body tie.shes a barrel full of chuckles.we headed out to old train track that's now a nature walk and did 2hr stint pounding paths and enjoying fresh air,autumnal countryside.the deal was I walk with you,you help as my hip will seize/be very tired post walk.shes now "tired and don't want to help" and place tip and I'm exhausted.grrr

On plus I did pop potatoes in on our return and reheat some stew/roast her some veg and vegan chicken bits.
Such a comforting lunch on cold day,and suns home in now do it's really grey out too!

I may need one my infamous 30 minute naps before can make any decisions about cleaning.biggest priority is ensuring j can climb in bath to shower later...

Hi everyone, the weathers been quite nice today, clear but really chilly. We had a lot of fireworks last night, DD came downstairs at one point because she thought the noise was a dragon😂. We watched the fireworks together and she isn’t too scared of them anymore. I’ve made fish pie for dinner and really want to collapse now, I’m very happy that it’s the weekend.

ED glad DS managed to get his braces sorted and that parents evening was a breeze. I’ve got it all ahead of me, but I think I’d rather virtual ones than face to face even after Covid.

Thank you mc, fingers crossed I can get some help. We put our decorations up in November usually, definitely not too early! Especially with everything that is going on.

wooly it sounds like things were really positive for your DC’s yesterday! Mulled apple juice sounds amazing

sing glad to hear Cagletini got to nursery, I hope she’s feeling better. I hope your leg feels better soon too.

I hope you feel better soon hills

zoo sorry to hear about sertraline

I forgot yesterday’s ta da’s so here they are! Will be back later with today’s.

Today’s ta da’s

Made beds
Washed DC’s faces and dressed
Washed my own face and dressed
Fed humans and animals
Brushed teeth
S&S
Dusted lights/ceilings
Dropped DC at nursery
Work
Got DC
Unpacked bags
Hung up coats, cleaned shoes
Cleared litter trays and picked up dog poo
Made tea
Washed up
Walked dog
Dried up and put away
Activities with DC
Bathed DC
Laid out clothes for tomorrow
Read to DS and put to bed
Read to DD and put to bed
Packed bags for tomorrow
Tidied playroom
Swept playroom
Wiped down kitchen surfaces and dining table
Swept kitchen floor
Swept living room floor
Tidied sofa
Showered
Shined sink
Laid out clothes
I also ordered presents for Christmas and birthdays and bought a Christmas jigsaw

Hi all just a quick one, links for tomorrow and KCC and then I'm off to watch TV with dh.
flight plan
Tomorrow's focus is family fun day and no mission because it's the weekend!

KCC another recipe to aid the meal planning, tonight we had this recipe which we have quite often here , the dc both absolutely love it, as you all probably know, ds hasn't been eating much at dinnertime recently but even he ate all the pasta tonight (he did leave the cauliflower but still much better than other nights of late!)
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cauliflower-macaroni-cheese

What are your favourite pasta dishes?

Zoo I hope the pills will have a desired effect soon. Sometimes it may take few weeks for the effect to kick in. I am sorry your DD is feeling antsy.
Woolly I am on a strange sleeping schedule, but on grand scheme of things all is good (probably famous last words!).
Sing which series did you end up settling on? I am currently watching crime series, NCIS and the likes. Strangely addictive.
Flushi Christmas puzzle you say. I like it!

Pasta - I love spaghetti. In any shape or form. Can easily eat a plate of just spaghetti with some melted butter mixed in 😬

Haven't done much flying today at all. Just put the LOL in which is now in the dryer. Kitchen is a mess again, so will need to sort that out.

ED here, I revived an old username in tribute to the late Geoffrey Palmer.

I've only skimmed the thread today, will try and catch up tomorrow. Foxes we are big pasta fans here (except for DH) - tonight we had this www.bbcgoodfoodme.com/recipes/macaroni-cheese-lasagne/

I love pasta carbonara, also some of the fresh stuffed ones with just a bit of olive oil and parmesan.

Tada!

Swish and swipe
Sweep kitchen floor
DW reboot
Dining room - various hotspots put out, dusted, hearth tidied and vacuumed.
Various things put in loft
Picture hung up and levelled - nothing is level in this house, walls, floors, doors so they always look wonky.
Crochet poppies x 6
Zoom yoga and hypopressive classes
Took delivery of new tumble dryer
Cooked the above pasta for dinner
Baked chocolate cookies
Stashed first few Christmas pressies under bed
An hour at the allotment plus a slight lockdown fail, bumped into a couple of friends on the way back and chatted for half an hour (2m+ distant and outdoors). Oh well.

There are some great ta da lists!
zoo have you tried having DD2 helping around the house before going out for a walk (like work comes before play idea)? Even if it's just 15 minutes of housework. And if she doesn't do it, you don't take her out (and stick to what you say). I know it would be ideal to get fresh air every time, but I really do feel for you and you deserve to have some help around the house. I hope you're not achy or in pain soon.

mc enjoy those cuddles and don't feel bad if it gets overwhelming and you need a break. My DD spent hours just wanting to feed, after one bad evening of it I broke down and gave her a dummy. All she wanted was to suck! It helped a lot, and at that point I was willing to try anything even though I really didn't want her to have a dummy. Sorry for my rambling, I just wanted to reassure you as well that if you need a break is okay too have your DH hold her (even if she's screaming for you) and you go outside for 5 minutes, it really is amazing what a difference that can make. Sorry if you're already doing this (ignore if so).

Ta Das for yesterday
🌻 Swept kitchen floor
🌻 Filled DW (DC emptied it)
🌻 Threw leftover cake away (from last week)
🌻 Got lunch ready for today for me
🌻 Pulled my clothes out for today
🌻 Took Halloween decorations back out to the garage

Ta Das for today
🍁 Got 2 lots of chili in the slow cookers, one vegetarian, the other has chicken
🍁 Swept the floor at my ILs

I'm at work for the whole day, not sure what I'll get done tonight as it seems like it's been a long week.

Ooooo MC - big NCIS fans over here. I like New Orleans because it is different. I love hetty NO CAPES in Los Angels, and of course Abby and Gibbs are just brilliant in the original. I need to catch up with the latest series at some point.

Took a gentle afternoon and did paperwork. But just going to get the fish tank done now i have cooled the tank naturally and warmed the water. Hopefully won't shock the fish too much. And then i will return to sitting in bed with paperwork planning. I am working on what i want in my 2021 bujo. It is keeping me out of trouble and allowing the illusion of productive

mc & zoo sorry for giving unsolicited advice, I have a bad habit of doing that. Usually I stop myself!
Time I hope to start getting presents wrapped soon, I just have to remember what is what 😳 😅 I love pasta too but very rarely have it now since my stomach doesn't like it. I usually end up using cauliflower as the "pasta" or some other vegetable.

This day is dragging at work 😴 I'm ready for the weekend!

I didn’t get a chance to look mc 😳 trying to avoid using the iPad until my screen cover arrives. I know there are a few short series on itv though like The Sister.

KCC - pasta is the easiest meal in our house and I can sneak a lot past DS that way :o for comfort food I love a super cheesy tuna pasta bake but I am hoping to do one soon that I first had in a restaurant years ago, where you wilt spinach in chilli and then add the pasta to the frying pan. My favourite pasta meals outside home though are a creamy lemon and tarragon, and a creamy mint one, I really should try those at home.

I feel like I’ve had a much less productive day, I’m feeling super grumpy due to my foot/leg and my arms still ache from the swimming (but that’s my own fault!). However having my habit list really did help as it’s nice to tick things off!

ta da continued
👽got DS through more work
👽5 min tidies in various parts of the house
👽digital decluttering
👽brain training apps and duolingo
👽bathed Cagletini and then played with building toys with her
👽looked at various present ideas for DH and Cagletini
👽shower, self care sfuff (typo again! But I like it)
👽caught up with strictly while getting hugs from the Caglets and appreciating that those moments still happen!

po3.3
❗️15min home ed planning
❗️bit of reading
❗️sleeeeeep!!!

ED love the name change - I liked Geoffrey Palmer in so many things, I watched as time goes by a lot as a child but I think to me he will always be the Doctor Who Wants Sausages from Fawlty Towers! 💜

Hazel all advice is welcome! I've got a dummy on a standby for when/if it will get too much. DH is not much help in this department unfortunately. It's great he is very protective of the baby, but I feel like he forgets I am a human being too. At a slight feeding cue from the baby, he insists I drop everything I am doing to feed him. This morning as an example: I literally just stepped out of the shower, dripping wet, and he is in the bathroom giving me the baby to feed this very minute because baby was sucking his hand... I mean, c'mon, let me put on my pants first!

Hills oh how exciting! I am working my way through season 7 of the original at the moment. Loving it!

tomorrow
🎯catch up on threads
🎯park trip as we are trying to all get our allowed daily exercise and obv no school/nursery commute
🎯need to make sure we keep to the evening routine and hopefully have more tidying up in the daytime
🎯put laundry away and get the Caglets doing theirs
🎯hoping to get a chance to go through the presents we’ve bought so far and check who needs what, as we tend to quickly have a look what arrives and then shove it on a shelf

🍒👋

Oh also ta da
👽cleaned subtle remains of nail varnish so I can use fresh tomorrow
👽paid tap and ballet invoices, DH emailed to give notice on ballet
👽helped DD1 find some clothes online

Right, must do some planning now, rock ‘n’ roll Friday night here!

mc it sounds like you are doing a fantastic job, DH probably feels a bit helpless with feeding (mine did anyway) but he could distract baby 👶 until you are ready. Btw, I had clearly forgotten you had a boy! I'm sorry.
You've been busy today sing it also sounds like you're able to fit some self care in there too, which is always a good thing!

hazel you are right.i should expect help first walk after.tired brain didn't expect resistance...
Been awake since 230,might get up soon.place a tip as been "used" as distraction tool by dd2 most of two days to ease anxiety of feeling odd..

Kcc lil zoo is a pasta fiend and one few foods she would happily live on.mixed pesto and with chickpeas her simplest favourite
We don't buy spaghetti -D's cannot get togrips with it and the mess is just beyond manageable and his frustration at being hungry but it not getting into his tummy

Morning all i have been AWOL again 🥐🥓🍳☕🥞🧇

Catching up but first

Ta Da
❄ wash on
❄ dryer on
❄ dc5 up, fed, changed

Morning all . DH had to leave for work at 5:30 (he’s working all weekend ) and DD was wide awake and apparently hungry 10 mins later. I’m a cup of tea down and have got her engrossed in Christmas Netflix. Sorry I disappeared for a few days - I’m finding 4 long work days in a row a bit of a stretch. Feel like I’m just literally dragging myself through, happy for us all to still be fed, clothes and alive . At leas to have 3 days off to look forward to now. DD has been asleep twice when I’ve come home from work at 7, so feel like I’ve hardly seen her.

I have caught up with the thread. Sorry to all those in pain/stressed/feeling down. You’re a strong bunch .

Loving all the fish ideas. We try and have it once or twice a week but have a limited repertoire - mainly salmon or cod with couscous and veg or in risotto. We do sometime do a really easy Thai salmon curry which is lovely. also regular fishfingers. There’s an amazing sea food restaurant a few minutes walk from ours. I nearly always have scallops for starter and a hake dish for main, but I’ve never cooked either myself.

Pasta - we do really similar bake to your recipe Foxes, but with broccoli and a sprinkle of chilli flakes. It was originally a slimming world recipe with quark, egg and a little bit of smoked cheese, but DH has adapted it to be far more cheesy. We also love spaghetti bolognese and DH’s pork and fennel ragu with rigatoni.

Welcome Vio! Sounds like you’ve had a tough time

ED we also have a wonky house.

Plans for the next 3 days - home bleurgh, catch up on missions, bit of zone 1 and 2 cleaning, uniforms washed and ironed. Not planning any major achievements as DH will be out at work all weekend and I want some quality time with DD.

I need some help from you clever lot - anyone got a really easy Christmas cake recipe? I’m going to attempt my first one this year but they all look a bit scary. How do I ‘feed’ them and how often?

This is the one I use here

All Christmas cakes start much the same way - cream butter and sugar, add eggs and flour, raising agent. Then stir in fruits and peels. Bake. When cool create holes with knitting needle or chopstick and pour brandy or whatever over. Wrap and repeat weekly until you decorate top of cake with marzipan or marzipan and icing.

Have been up since 3.30 and am watching election telly. I like all the charts and numbers and totting up and analysis.

Thanks Lisette that’s fab! I’m also fascinated with the election stuff. Can’t stop checking!

Ta da:
✅ sustenance provided to DD, cats and myself
✅ 4 days worth of clean laundry collected from various drying spots and carried upstairs (dryer still not fixed )
✅ windows opened to let some air in
✅ yesterday’s forgotten LOL hung up to dry (thankfully not smelly yet)
✅ made a start on general tidying

Going for power of 3 after cup of tea 2

Round 1:
PO3 1) kitchen back under control
PO3 2) strip beds and put on nice new bedding
PO3 3) tidy hall

Round 2:
PO3 1) LOL on
PO3 2) get us both dressed
PO3 3) out for a walk, via shop for bread

Up - I have made the Be-Ro Christmas cake this year, it's a light one. The main difference between them seems to be whether they are lighy and crumbly or dark and squidgy, we prefer light and crumbly. Waitrose sell a kit with all the ingredients which is handy if you don't want to be left with half a tub of mixed peel etc.

I have just got up and found that DH didn't clear the kitchen last night. This is an ongoing bone of contention for us, I do most of the cooking with the agreement that he will clear up (DCs put own plates in DW etc). But almost without fail he drifts off to the front room leaving it all then either does it before bed or leaves it till the next morning. It drives me mad and he knows this . Where's the pitchfork

Thanks ED, I’ll look at that one too. We have the same agreement in our house. It’s DH that does most of the cooking, and admittedly a few nights a week I’ll leave it until the morning, but that only affects me and I always do it first thing before he’s even up. When I cook DH will always leave it until the morning, leaves any hand wash items in manky water to “soak” and makes no effort at wiping the bench or hob , just assuming I will do it. Drives me mad and I’ve started insisting he comes back and does it properly like I’m his Mum

Glad it's not just us Up. I wouldn't mind so much if he got up before me and did it but he rarely does (he has just emerged now). Our kitchen isn't very big and this morning the entire surfaces were covered in stuff, I have made a cuppa and retreated but there's no room to make breakfast. On the other hand I went to drop DD at the station yesterday morning and came back to find he had vacuumed the front room so he isn't all bad.